John J. O'Brien was an American basketball referee and administrator. He was involved in organizing several early professional basketball leagues. In 1925, he founded Metropolitan Basketball League, which featured Original Celtics

Original Celtics

The Original Celtics were a barnstorming professional basketball team in the 1920s. There is no relation to the modern Boston Celtics. The Original Celtics are often credited with extending the reach of basketball across America and for establishing the importance of aggressive defensive play...

. From 1928 to 1953 he was an executive with American Basketball League

American Basketball League (1925-1955)

The American Basketball League was an early professional basketball league. During six seasons from 1925-26 to 1930-31, the ABL was the first attempt to create a major professional basketball league in the United States...

, serving as president and, later, as chairman of the board. He was enshrined into the Basketball Hall of Fame

Basketball Hall of Fame

The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, located in Springfield, Massachusetts, United States, honors exceptional basketball players, coaches, referees, executives, and other major contributors to the game of basketball worldwide...

as a contributor in 1961.

External links

• Basketball Hall of Fame on O'Brien

President, Metropolitan Basketball League, 1922-1928, 1931-33
President and chairman of the board, American Basketball League, 1928-31, 1933-53
Dedicated himself to the advancement of professional basketball in the East
Staunch supporter of referees and one of the first league administrators to begin fining players